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Highlights & Basics
- Pityriasis rosea is an inflammatory skin disease with unclear etiology, although an infectious cause has been suggested.
- Can present in patients of any age but most often in people ages 10 to 35 years.
- Manifests as an acute, self-limited, inflammatory eruption characterized in the majority of patients by a single larger lesion, the herald patch, followed by eruption of smaller papulosquamous oval lesions.
- Spontaneous resolution, usually over several weeks, but can persist for up to 5 months.
- Symptoms are treated by topical corticosteroids and/or oral antihistamines, or ultraviolet therapy.
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Citations
Chuh A, Lee A, Zawar V, et al. Pityriasis rosea - an update. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2005 Sep-Oct;71(5):311-5.[Abstract][Full Text]
Chuh A, Zawar V, Lee A. Atypical presentations of pityriasis rosea: case presentations. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2005 Jan;19(1):120-6.[Abstract]
Contreras-Ruiz J, Peternel S, Jiménez Gutiérrez C, et al. Interventions for pityriasis rosea. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019 Oct 30;2019(10):CD005068.[Abstract][Full Text]
1. Amer A, Fischer H, Li X. The natural history of pityriasis rosea in black American children: how correct is the "classic" description? Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2007 May;161(5):503-6.[Abstract][Full Text]
2. Dyer JA. Childhood viral exanthems. Pediatr Ann. 2007 Jan;36(1):21-9.[Abstract]
3. Trager JD. What's your diagnosis? Scaly pubic plaques in a 2-year-old girl - or in an "inverse" rash. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2007 Apr;20(2):109-11.[Abstract]
4. Chuh A, Lee A, Zawar V, et al. Pityriasis rosea - an update. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2005 Sep-Oct;71(5):311-5.[Abstract][Full Text]
5. Miranda SB, Lupi O, Lucas E. Vesicular pityriasis rosea: response to erythromycin treatment. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2004 Sep;18(5):622-5.[Abstract]
6. Chuh A, Zawar V, Lee A. Atypical presentations of pityriasis rosea: case presentations. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2005 Jan;19(1):120-6.[Abstract]
7. Gonzalez LM, Allen R, Janniger CK, et al. Pityriasis rosea: an important papulosquamous disorder. Int J Dermatol. 2005 Sep;44(9):757-64.[Abstract]
8. Leung AKC, Lam JM, Leong KF, et al. Pityriasis rosea: an updated review. Curr Pediatr Rev. 2021;17(3):201-11.[Abstract]
9. Deng Y, Li H, Chen X. Palmoplantar pityriasis rosea: two case reports. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2007 Mar;21(3):406-7.[Abstract]
10. Joshi TP, Calderara GA, Lipoff JB. Prevalence of pityriasis rosea in the United States: a cross-sectional study using the All of Us database. JAAD Int. 2022 May 19;8:45-46.[Abstract][Full Text]
11. Contreras-Ruiz J, Peternel S, Jiménez Gutiérrez C, et al. Interventions for pityriasis rosea. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019 Oct 30;2019(10):CD005068.[Abstract][Full Text]
12. Chuh A, Chan H, Zawar V. Pityriasis rosea - evidence for and against an infectious aetiology. Epidemiol Infect. 2004 Jun;132(3):381-90.[Abstract]
13. Yildirim M, Aridogan BC, Baysal V, et al. The role of human herpes virus 6 and 7 in the pathogenesis of pityriasis rosea. Int J Clin Pract. 2004 Feb;58(2):119-21.[Abstract]
14. Amer A, Fischer H. Azithromycin does not cure pityriasis rosea. Pediatrics. 2006 May;117(5):1702-5.[Abstract]
15. Drago F, Ciccarese G, Rebora A, et al. Human herpesvirus-6, -7, and Epstein-Barr virus reactivation in pityriasis rosea during COVID-19. J Med Virol. 2021 Apr;93(4):1850-1.[Abstract][Full Text]
16. Buckley JE, Landis LN, Rapini RP. Pityriasis rosea-like rash after messenger RNA COVID-19 vaccination: a case report and review of the literature. JAAD Int. 2022 Jun;7:164-8.[Abstract][Full Text]
17. Drago F, Broccolo F, Rebora A. Pityriasis rosea: an update with a critical appraisal of its possible herpesviral etiology. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2009 Aug;61(2):303-18.[Abstract]
18. Alzahrani NA, AlJasser MI. Geographic tonguelike presentation in a child with pityriasis rosea: case report and review of oral manifestations of pityriasis rosea. Pediatr Dermatol. 2018 Mar;35(2):e124-7.[Abstract]
19. Chuh AA, Molinari N, Sciallis G, et al. Temporal case clustering in pityriasis rosea: a regression analysis on 1379 patients in Minnesota, Kuwait, and Diyarbakir, Turkey. Arch Dermatol. 2005 Jun;141(6):767-71.[Abstract][Full Text]
20. Cooper M. Diseases of the epidermis: pityriasis rosea, lichen planus, keratosis pilaris. Dermatol Nurs. 2005 Dec;17(6):457-8.[Abstract]
21. Ciccarese G, Broccolo F, Rebora A, et al. Oropharyngeal lesions in pityriasis rosea. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2017 Nov;77(5):833-37.e4.[Abstract]
22. Villalon-Gomez JM. Pityriasis rosea: diagnosis and treatment. Am Fam Physician. 2018 Jan 1;97(1):38-44.[Abstract][Full Text]
23. Chuh A, Lee A, Chan PK. Pityriasis rosea in pregnancy - specific diagnostic implications and management considerations. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 2005 Jun;45(3):252-3.[Abstract]
24. Brazzelli V, Prestinari F, Roveda E, et al. Pityriasis rosea-like eruption during treatment with imatinib mesylate: description of 3 cases. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2005 Nov;53(5 suppl 1):S240-3.[Abstract]
25. Atzori L, Pinna AL, Ferreli C, et al. Pityriasis rosea-like adverse reaction: review of the literature and experience of an Italian drug-surveillance center. Dermatol Online J. 2006 Jan 27;12(1):1.[Abstract][Full Text]
26. Scheinfeld N. Imatinib mesylate and dermatology part 2: a review of the cutaneous side effects of imatinib mesylate. J Drugs Dermatol. 2006 Mar;5(3):228-31.[Abstract]
27. American Academy of Dermatology. Pityriasis rosea: diagnosis and treatment. 2022 [internet publication].[Full Text]
28. Drago F, Rebora A. Treatments for pityriasis rosea. Skin Therapy Lett. 2009 Mar;14(3):6-7.[Abstract][Full Text]
29. Tay YK, Goh CL. One-year review of pityriasis rosea at the National Skin Centre, Singapore. Ann Acad Med Singapore. 1999 Nov;28(6):829-31.[Abstract]
